Process for distilling and liquefying coal



May l5, 1928.

F. BERGIUS lPROCESS FOR DISTILLING AND LIQUEFYING COAL Filed Nov. 24. 1926 um ,Saas

m.. El kuh k Q mirzw Patented May 15,1928.

FRIEDRICH BERG-IUS, F HEIDELBERG, GER/MANY.

PROCESS FOB DISTILLING .AND LIQUEFYING COAL.

Application :tiled November 24, 1926. Serial No. 150.530.

This invention relates to improvements in a correlated process tor distilling and liquefying coal. In liquefying coal b y hydrogenation under great pressure and at elevated temperatures (tor instance by means of the so-called Bergin-process) large quantities of hydrogen are necessary for the hydrogenation as well as large quantities of oil for transforming the pulverized coal into a paste and for its own hydrogenation.

On the other hand the Bergin-process furnishes as by-product a rich gas (Bergin-gas) whose heating power is too great but whose quantity is ordinarily too small that it might serve for providing towns with gas.

The present invention has for its purpose to care for the great quantities ofhydrogen and oil necessary for the treatment in the high pressure vessel of the Bergin-plant in an eiiicient and economical manner as well as advantageously to utilize the Bergingas escaping from the high pressure vessel of the Bergin-plant.

The purposes of the invention are obtained by producing the gas necessary for the hydrogenation and the oil necessary for the paste and for its own hydrogenation from a gas-plant or a coke-oven-plant (coal-gas-retorts) whereas the Bergin-gas of 3@ high heating power is added to the gas produced in the coal-gas-retorts distillationgas). In this manner the rentability of the gas-plant or coke-oven-plant is increased by the Bergin-plant whose economy on the other side is improved.

' The invention is preferably carried out in such a manner that in distilling the coal in' the coal-gas-retort/s the distillation-gas (poor in hydrogen but of high heating power) produced in the iirst stage is used for town gas which the Bergin-gas has been added to. The distillation-gas (rich in hydrogen but of less heatingpower) produced in the following stage of the distillation, 43 however, is used in the Bergin-plant as hydrogenating gas. For the further supply ot' the Bergin-plant from the coal-gas-retorts, towards the end of the di stilling period steam is introduced into the distilling chambers for forming water-gas which is transformed into hydrogen (hvdrogcnating gas) in a known manner. The tar produced in the coal-gas-retorts may participate in forming the coal paste tor the high pressure vessel of the Bergin-plant.

In order to enable the coal-gas-retorts to furnish a tar quantity as large as possible for the Bergin-plant. the coking process in the first stage of the di-stilling process may be slowly carried out at relatively low temperatures. 1f the coal-gas-rctorts should not provide suticient hydrogen. the remainder may be produced from the coke residuo in the coal-gas-retorts. the coke being treated with steam tor producing water-gas in the coking chamber or in a special generator as commonly known.

For illustrating the invention the process is represented in the drawings by means of a so-called Sankey-diagram.

1 signifies the coal-quantity (about 2000 kg.) which is distilled in the coal-gas-retorts 2. 3 represents the coke remaining from the distillation. 4 .is the distillation-gas poor in hydrogen but ot great heating power, 6 the tar (aboutl 100 kg.) remaining from the distillation, 5 the gas rich in hydrogen used in the Bergin-plant. 7 the ammonia. (about 50 kg.) produced by thc distillation. 8 the water-gasproduceiz whose products are conducted through 9 to a catalytic-converter 10 where the water-gas is transformed into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The hydrogen is conducted through 11 to the high-pressure-vessel of the Bergin-plant 12.

13 is the conduit for that part of the water-gas which is mixed with the Bergingas coming from the Bergiwplant through conduit 14 and with the distillation-gas 4 in the conduit 15 for towngas (about 1600 cbm.).

16 is the coal quantity for berginization (about 1000 kg.) which is hydrogenated in the Bergin-plant 12. 17 is the oil (about 500 kg.) and 18 the ammonia (about 50 kg.) both produced in the Bcrgin-plant 12.

As already mentioned, the distilling process in the coal-ga-S-retorts 2 may be conducted in such a manner that more or less quantities of tar are produced. The quantity ot tar can be increased by the lowtemperature-coki11g-process.

The combination of the Bergin-plant 12 with the coal-gas-retorts 2 gives the possibility ot suitably utilizing different kinds ot coal which are mostly at disposal in such plants. 1t is known that Jfor liquefying coal by hydrogenation a coal rich in gas` i. e. younger coal or lignite, is better adapted. whereas old coal poor in gas is less or not at all adapted for liquetying coal by hydrogenation. Such a coalpoor in gas, however, is always suitable for obtaining distillation-gas as Well as hydrogenating gas.y

Thus, the combination of the Bergin-plant with the coal-gasretortsy affords the possibility of economically utilizing diierent kinds of coal.

That I claim is:

1. Process which comprises subjecting coal to distillation treatment whereby t-here are produced ammonia, coke, tar, a gaseous fraction relatively poor in hydrogen but of high eating value and a gaseous fraction relatively rich in hydrogen', admixing the said tar withcoal and subjecting the mixture to liquefaction and hydrogenation treatment with the gaseous fraction relatively rich in -hydrogen at elevated temperature and under great pressure whereby there are produced ammonia, oil, and a gas of high heating value, combining the gas of high heating value with the said gaseous fraction relalively poor in hydrogen, and separately re- ,l zovering the said oil.

2. Process .which comprises subjecting coal to distillation treatment whereby there are produced ammonia, coke, tar, a gaseous 'fraction relatively poor in hydrogen but et high heating value and a gaseous fraction relatively rich in hydrogen, treating the said coke Withsteam whereby water gas is produced, catalytically converting at least a portion of the said Water gas into hydrogen, admixing the said tar with coal and subjecting the mixture to liqueiaction and hydrogenation treatment with the said gaseous fraction relatively rich in hydrogen and the Said hydrogen produced from the water gas at elevated ten'iperature and under great pressure whereby there are produced ammonia, oil and a gas of high heating value, combining the said gaseous fraction relatively poor in hydrogen with the said gas of high heating' `value and the unconverted portion of said water gas, and .separately recovering the said oil. l

3. Process as defined in claim 1, characterized in that there is used in the distillation treatment a coall relatively poorer in gas than is the coal used in the liquefaction and hydrogenation treatment.

4:. Process as defined in claim 2, characterized in that there is used in the distillation treatment a'l coal relatively poorer in gas than is the coal used in the liquefaction and hydrogenation treatment.

ln testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

rsr'snnron Bassins.. 

